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The British racing team along with Formula One would benefit from anything decisive in the title fight between Lando Norris & Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without resorting to the pit wall with the title run-in kicks off at the COTA starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath leads to internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs concluded, McLaren will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes was lost on no one yet the occurrence which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going on the inside of a big gap then you don't belong in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” defence he gave to the racing knight after he ploughed into Alain Prost in Japan back in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself stemmed from him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to return the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that during disputes between them, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and strive to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, strategy and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when the amicable relationship between the two may – finally – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase further. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making appropriate choices for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus team management

Yet having drivers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he felt the team had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he said post-race. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and withdraw from the fray.